The pandemic influenza planning process in Ontario acute care hospitals
published online 21 December 2009.
Background
There will be little time to prepare when an influenza pandemic strikes; hospitals need to develop and test pandemic influenza plans beforehand.
Methods
Acute care hospitals in Ontario were surveyed regarding their pandemic influenza preparedness plans.
Results
The response rate was 78.5%, and 95 of 121 hospitals participated. Three quarters (76.8%, 73 of 95) of hospitals had pandemic influenza plans. Only 16.4% (12 of 73) of hospitals with plans had tested them. Larger (χ2 = 6.7, P = .01) and urban hospitals (χ2 = 5.0, P = .03) were more likely to have tested their plans. 70.4% (50 of 71) Of respondents thought the pandemic influenza planning process was not adequately funded. No respondents were “very satisfied” with the completeness of their hospital's pandemic plan, and only 18.3% were “satisfied.”
Conclusion
Important challenges were identified in pandemic planning: one quarter of hospitals did not have a plan, few plans were tested, key players were not involved, plans were frequently incomplete, funding was inadequate, and small and rural hospitals were especially disadvantaged. If these problems are not addressed, the result may be increased morbidity and mortality when a virulent influenza pandemic hits.
aDepartment of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, Queen's University and Infection Control Service, Kingston General Hospital, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
bDepartment of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
cMatthew J. Melinyshyn Consulting Services, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
dDepartment of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto and Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Address correspondence to Dick E. Zoutman, MD, FRCPC, Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, Queen's University and Infection Control Service, Kingston General Hospital, 76 Stuart Street, Kingston, Ontario, K7L 2V7, Canada.
Supported by The Change Foundation, an independent charitable foundation established by the Ontario Hospital Association.
ABSTRACT